Chapter 3586 — Caught Red-Handed?
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 3
Kubi might not be standing in his way at the moment, but if he could push Kubi out and install one of his own men in his place, then the Qingyun Pavilion territory within the Newcomer's Hall would become Meng Jueming's own private kingdom!
Meng Zhou and Li Zhengming acknowledged the order with a grunt and, grinning savagely, barged into Wei Zhao's grotto. Wei Zhao did not move to stop them and simply let them search. There was nothing else in the grotto anyway; he was rather looking forward to seeing how these fellows would extricate themselves in a moment.
While Meng Zhou and the other went in to search, Meng Jueming stationed himself with a cold chuckle at the entrance, blocking Wei Zhao's way, lest Wei Zhao turn desperate and lash out once the "stolen goods" were found.
Yet Meng Jueming waited and waited, and all he saw was the two of them rummaging about inside, and still they failed to produce the "stolen goods" he had prepared in advance. He assumed the pair were deliberately putting on an act, and rolled his eyes. He had already laid the groundwork thoroughly enough; what was the point of pretending now?
He was itching to savor the sight of Wei Zhao's face after having the tendons of one hand and one foot crippled, and could not help snapping angrily, "What are you two dawdling about in there for? Get out here this instant!"
Meng Zhou and Li Zhengming exchanged a glance, both drenched in sweat. Spurred on by Meng Jueming's urging, they refused to believe it and swept the entire grotto once more, yet it remained utterly empty!
In truth, the grotto was only so large; everything in it was plain at a glance, and a hundred more searches would turn up nothing. So they could only turn to Meng Jueming with the look of men who had seen a ghost, spread their hands, and say with bitter smiles, "Senior Brother Meng, there's nothing."
"Nothing? How could there be no—" Meng Jueming caught himself just in time. With so many people watching outside, he had nearly given the game away. He composed his expression at once and said, "You two keep an eye on him. I'll search myself!"
"Yes!" Meng Zhou and Li Zhengming hurriedly flanked Wei Zhao on either side, and Meng Jueming strode into the grotto to conduct the search himself. As for Wei Zhao, the man at the center of it all, he seemed to harbor no dissatisfaction whatsoever, and simply stood to one side watching with an air of serene detachment.
Meng Jueming swept his gaze around. The grotto was bare and open; everything in it was taken in at a glance, and in truth there was no need to search at all to know. But it was indeed just as Meng Zhou and the other had said: the "stolen goods" were nowhere to be found.
This made no sense. The thing had been arranged long ago—how could it not be there? The grotto was only so big; there was scarcely even room to hide a piece of spirit jade, and finding something if it were there should have been simplicity itself!
Suspicion rose in Meng Jueming's heart. He turned his head and saw Wei Zhao's serene expression at the entrance, and suddenly a thought struck him. Of course! The boy must have thought of some way to hide the spirit jade on his person—that was why he dared to be so utterly unruffled!
"You two, search him!" Meng Jueming said with a savage grin.
He had already guessed the truth of it. No doubt Wei Zhao had discovered the spirit jade upon returning, realized something was amiss, and devised a way to conceal it on his body. To still put on such composure at a moment like this—the boy was a talent of sorts. What a pity that old ginger is always the spicier!
Right, why hadn't they thought of that! Meng Zhou and Li Zhengming's eyes lit up at once, and they reached out to search Wei Zhao. A thing as large as a spirit jade—no matter how skillfully he had hidden it, once a man was searched like this, it could never stay concealed.